A sunroom, also frequently called a solarium (and sometimes a "Florida room", "garden
conservatory", "garden room", "
patio room", "sun parlor", "sun porch", "three season room" or "
winter garden"), is a room that permits abundant
daylight
Daylight is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and (often) both of these reflected by Earth and terrestrial objects, like landforms and buildings. Sunlig ...
and views of the
landscape
A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or human-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes th ...
while sheltering from adverse weather. ''Sunroom'' and ''solarium'' have the same denotation: ''solarium'' is
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
for "place of
sun ">ight. Solaria of various forms have been erected throughout European history. Currently, the sunroom or solarium is popular in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, and
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. Sunrooms may feature
passive solar building design to heat and illuminate them.
In
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, which has a long history of formal
conservatories, a ''small'' conservatory is sometimes denominated a "sunroom". In gardening, a
garden room is a secluded and partly enclosed outside space within a garden that creates a room-like effect.
Design
Attached sunrooms typically are constructed of transparent
tempered glazing atop a brick or wood "knee wall" or framed entirely of wood, aluminum, or
PVC, and glazed on all sides.
Frosted glass or
glass block may be used to add privacy. Screens are a fundamental aspect of a "Florida room", and
jalousie windows are often featured. An integrated sunroom is specifically designed with many windows and climate controls.

A solarium is typically distinguished from a sunroom by the former being specifically and primarily designed to collect sunlight for warmth and light as opposed to being primarily designed to feature scenic views, and by being composed of walls, save one, and a roof that are entirely of framed glass. These typically are erected in higher latitude (low angle of sunlight) or cold (higher altitude) locations. In contrast, a sunroom ''
sensu stricto'' has an opaque roof.
Technologies
During the 1960s, professional re-modelling companies developed affordable systems to enclose a patio or deck, offering design, installation, and full service
warranties. Patio rooms featured lightweight, engineered roof panels, single pane glass, and
aluminium
Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
construction.
As technology advanced,
insulated glass,
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
, and vinyl-wood composite framework appeared. More recently, specialized blinds and curtains have been developed, many electrically operated by
remote control
A remote control, also known colloquially as a remote or clicker, is an consumer electronics, electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operat ...
.
Specialized flooring, including
radiant heat, may be adapted to both attached and integrated sunrooms.
See also
*
Arizona room
*
Conservatory (greenhouse)
A conservatory is a building or room having glass or other transparent roofing and walls, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom. Usually it refers to a space attached to a conventional building such as a house, especially in the United Kingdom. ...
*
Observation car
*
Porch
*
Smart glass
*
Orangery
Notes
References
*
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
Glass architecture
Rooms
Room
In a building or a ship, a room is any enclosed space within a number of walls to which entry is possible only via a door or other dividing structure. The entrance connects it to either a passageway, another room, or the outdoors. The space is ...